How much are one’s life and limb in a road crash?

Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News

The Passenger Personal Accident Insurance Program for Public Utility Vehicles enumerates the insurance rate in cases of loss of life or injury to specific body parts resulting from road accidents.

Last year, around 300 people died in road crashes in more or less a thousand incidents. This number means insurance companies paid around P60-million or an equivalent of 120 public utility jeepneys (PUJs) pegged at half a million each.

While there is immediate assistance from the insurance companies, extra costs for the families of the victims are inevitable, such as borrowed money, legal cost, victim's hospitalization, medical expenses, and relatives' opportunity cost.

One should also bear in mind the wages lost. Based on Philippine Statistics Data, males between ages 15-34 are often victims of road traffic deaths. Those in this age group are those who earn or can bring food to the table.

The Department of Health’s Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance System study shows that on an average, each death costs P4-million. Serious injuries cost P743,867, and minor injuries cost P71,483.

Violence and injuries are tremendous burdens for the country in terms of direct and indirect costs. Caring for these patients costs the Philippines at least P5.7-billion in medical expenses and P100-billion in lost income.

Deaths due to road crashes are the 8th leading cause of death globally, according to some global reports. It is predicted to become more significant in the future, becoming the third leading cause of death by 2020.

But one can avoid all these expenses by simply following traffic rules coupled with government’s policies and implementation aimed better and safer transportation experiences.